The Valley Sentinel_October 2016 by Sentinel Newspapers, Inc.

Regional Parks

Alamo • Danville • Blackhawk • Diablo • San Ramon

VALLEY

Inside this month...

THE

SENTINEL always for the community VOl 21 nO 10

Look inside

for this Activity Guide

East Bay Regional Park District Regional in Nature Activity Guide

October 2016

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SPOTLIGHT

News from San Ramon Valley Uniﬁed School District

By Rick Schmitt, SRVUSD Superintendent

ECRWSS

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PRESORTED STANDARD US POSTAGE PAID DANVILLE, CA PERMIT NO. 70

It is with great pleasure that I have the opportunity to be able to address the readers of the Valley Sentinel as the new Superintendent of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. I am thrilled to join a highly respected organization where our Board of Education goes the extra mile to seek input from staff and community members while placing a premium on educational life skills that transcend academics, such as respect, empathy and fairness. I want to thank the many people who have made me feel so welcome in my first weeks here. This is a wonderful community and I am honored to be part of it. I would like to thank the SRVUSD Board of Education for giving me the See SCHOOLS page 6

Sentinel Newspapers, Inc. 390 Diablo Road, Ste. 145 Danville, CA 94526 925-820-6047

The Mustang Hammers recently won the Lake Oswego Nike Cup in Lake Oswego, Orgeon. The Mustang Hammers Boys U11 Team went undefeated in tournament play.From left to right: Coach John Kinnear, Sean Mahoney, Theo Lee, Webber Bowring, Joshua Balagot, Lucas Pederson, Zachi Moudi, Brennan Dew, Kyle Young, Cody Hersh, Grayson Gilmore, Adan Nichani.

Masters of Disguise – California Ground Squirrels can Fool Rattlesnakes By James Hale The California Ground Squirrel (Otpspermophilus beechey) is one of the most common and easily observed local wildlife species of the grasslands and savannahs, often seen perched on a fence post or standing erect beside its burrow on the look out for predators. When frightened, the sentries give a sharp trill of alarm. It has recently extended its range into Washington and northwestern Nevada, from its core population in California and Oregon. Originally the species was described by John Richardson as “Beechey’s marmot”, (Arctomys or Spermophilus beechey), named after Fredrick William Beechey, an early 19th - century British explorer and naval officer. California Ground Squirrels either live alone or in loose knit colonies in burrows, which they excavate themselves. Each individual squirrel has its own

entrance and each member avoids the living space of the others, spending most of their time within 82 feet of their burrow, and rarely venturing further than 160 feet from it. Some burrow systems range from 5 to 200 feet long, and from 3 to 6 inches wide. Burrows under logs, boulders, or fallen trees are considered prime locations. The burrow systems offer refuge for a variety of keynote species such as the California Tiger Salamander, the Red-legged Frog, the Spadefoot Toad, the Northern Pacific Rattlesnake and other species. In 1775, Pedro Font who accompanied the Anza Expedition, commented that the plains adjacent to he great tulares of the Delta Region looked “mined” by ground squirrels. The soil disturbance was

beneficial to the health of the grassland species. California Ground Squirrels hibernate from late summer to early spring in areas where inclement weather limits their activities. During hot spells, the squirrels will estivate, remaining inactive for short periods to stay cool and conserve energy. Soon after emerging from hibernation, courtship and mating occurs. A litter of five to eight young, are born after a gestation period that lasts almost a month. The young mature rapidly and at just eight weeks old, they resemble the adults in appearance and begin to burrow on their own. Seeds, stems, leaves, roots, fruits, berries, insects, invertebrates, and small vertebrates are consumed for food. California Ground Squirrels will easily

This month’s Special Sections:

Health and Wellness

page 7

Fall Home & Garden pages 8 - 9

climb 20 or 30 feet up into a Cottonwood Tree to feed on the tasty catkins. Unfortunately, California Ground Squirrels are often regarded as pests in gardens and parks, since they will eat ornamental plants and trees and burrow extensively. See SQUIRRELS page 11

www.RodgersRanch.org

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

P.H. Rec & Park * City of Pleasant Hill * Rodgers Ranch Urban Farm * YMCA * Foundation for P.H. Education * Friends of the P.H. Library * Generations Church * Herb Society of America – N. Cal. Unit * Monument Crisis Center * P.H. 4th of July Commission * Rotary Club of P.H. * P.H. Lions Club * C.C. Succulent Garden Club * Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista * Sustainable Contra Costa* P.H. Historical Society* P.H. Chamber * Boy Scouts * P.H. 4-H Club * P.H. Community Foundation

dining out • music • art • theater • fun events

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The Valley SenTinel

October 2016

Partnering with:

Pumpkin painting ! Games ! Activities ! Food ! Music! 315 Cortsen Rd. P.H.

October 8, 2016 OCT. 8 10am - 4pm

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Now - Oct 15 A Walk in the Park Annual Juried Exhibition A celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service. Village Theatre Art Gallery, 233 Front Street, Danville. (925) 314-3460 or www. danville.ca.gov/Things-ToDo/Art-and-Culture/VillageEvent Theatre-Art-Gallery.

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A Fun-Filled 2016

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Pumpkin painting! Games! Music! Food! Activities!

and intermarriage led to cultural similarities such as creation myths. Admission $3 children and seniors, $5 adults, $10 family. Museum of the San Ramon Valley, 205 Railroad Ave, Danville. 925837-3750 or museumsrv.org Rodgers Ranch Harvest Festival October 8 10am - 4pm. A fun filled family event, including activities, food, music. Free. 315 Cortsen Road, Pleasant Hill. www.RodgersRanch.org

music, learn the polka and have fun! Oompah band, dancers, and dachsund races! $20/adult includes beer stein, one beer & lunch; $15/ages 13 -20 includes root beer & lunch; $10/ ages 6 – 12 includes root beer & lunch; under 6 years of age FREE. Forest Home Farms Historic Park, 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. www.srhf.org/ oktoberfest

A Fun-Filled,

OCT. 8 2016

Pumpkin painting ! Games ! Activities ! Food !

RODGERS RANCH Rodgers Ranch Harvest Festival

valleysentinel.com

10am -

4pm

Family Event Family Event

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Partnering with Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District Pumpkin painting City!of Pleasant Hill

Games ! www.RodgersRanch.org

10am -

Activities ! More Barn Wood for Sale! Food ! Indian Life contact Chris at 925.890.4482 The First People of Music! California 315 Cortsen Rd. P.H. Now - November 13

RODGERS RANCH

The first people of California migrated here Partnering with: more than 5,000 years ago. The exhibition showcases P.H. Rec & Park * City of Pleasant Hill * Rodgers Ranch Urban Farm * YMCA * Foundation for California’s diverse climate P.H. Education * Friends of the P.H. Library * Generations Church * zones which led to variations Herb Society of America – N. Cal. Unit * Monument Crisis Center * P.H. of diet and housing, even as 4th of July Commission * Rotary Club of P.H. * P.H. Lions Club * C.C. trade, periodic gatherings,

be kind to the environment please recycle this newspaper

Succulent Garden Club * Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista * Sustainable Contra Costa* P.H. Historical Society* P.H. Chamber * Boy Scouts * P.H. 4-H Club * P.H. Community Foundation

Thursdays @ the VT presents Abel and the Prophets Oct 13 7:30pm. This historic Latin Rock powerhouse has their roots in mid-60’s San Francisco where they became the house band for many of the city’s most renowned night spots. $15. Village Theater, 233 Front Street, Danville. 925-314-3400 or www. villagetheatreshows.com

www.RodgersRanch.org

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Paciﬁc International Quilt Festival October 13-16 10am. Visit this show to view a magnificent exhibition of the finest quilts created by artists from across the globe. $15. Children under 16 free. Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara. www.quiltfest. com/upcoming-shows-andevents/pacific-internationalquilt-festival Oktoberfest October 15 11am-5pm. The San Ramon Historic Foundation invites families to enjoy live

Dixieland Jazz October 15 1:30-4:30pm. On the 3rd Saturday of every month you can enjoy the music of the Devil Mountain Jazz Band. Bring your own beverages, snacks and a friend or two! There is a large dance floor and lots of free parking. $15. Grange Hall, 743 Diablo Road, Danville. Information visit www.jazznut.com or phone 925-625-2707.

San Ramon Symphonic Band Concert: Take Me Out To The Ballgame October 21 7:30pm. Listen to the 55 member San Ramon Symphonic Band as they hit it out of the park in this exciting baseball themed concert. $7 Aadults, kids under 12 or with student ID FREE. Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center, 10550 Albion Rd, San Ramon. www.sanramon. ca.gov/parks/theater/ calendar.htm#102216 Danville Fall Crafts Festival Oct 22 - 23 10am - 5pm. Craft vendors, children’s entertainment, food, music. 1000 glass pumpkins! Children’s costume parade Saturday morning. Classic Car Show Sunday, 10am - 5pm. Free. Downtown Danville, Hartz Avenue, Danville. www.danvillefallcraftsfestival.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT dining out • music • art • theater • fun events

valleysentinel.com 1940s Battle of the Big Bands–Glenn Miller vs. Tommy Dorsey October 22 7pm. Two Big Bands 30 Musicians on stage with the 1930s & 1940s most popular music. Sounds of Glenn Miller & Tommy Dorsey competing for the ‘Vote’ of the audience at the show climax. Tickets: Premium $59, Reserved $49, General $39, Seniors receive $5 discount, Students $20 in Reserved or General sections. Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center, 10550 Albion Rd, San Ramon. www.sanramon. ca.gov/parks/theater/ calendar.htm#102216, www.BattleoftheBigBands. com/#welcome

Don’t Drink The Water Oct. 28 – Nov. 12 Woody Allen brings his signature brand of humor to this play about a motley assortment of characters in this oddball comedy set in cold war Eastern Europe.$20 - $28. Village Theatre, 233 Front Street, Danville. 925-314-3400 or www. villagetheatreshows.com or www.RolePlayersEnsemble. com

StoryBooks By the Bay Oct 29- Dec 17 Village Theatre Art Gallery, 233 Front Street, Danville, 925-314-3460 or www.danville.ca.gov/ Things-To-Do/Art-andCulture/Village-Theatre-ArtGallery. Chromatica sings Innocence, Love and Heartbreak – texts by and about children October 29 7pm. Come and enjoy a wonderful performance by this regional chorus recently dubbed “the undiscovered musical jewel of the East Bay.” $20 for adults, $10 for students, and children 10 and under

October 2016

to home goods. Get a head start on your holiday shopping. Held inside the gallery, visitors can shop the Craft Fest and see the current exhibition. Free. Bedford Gallery, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr. Walnut Creek. 925-295-1415 orwww. bedfordgallery.org/ programs/craft-fest

free. Peace Lutheran Church, 3201 Camino Tassajara, Danville. www. chromaticachorale.org.

Night at the Improv Spooktacular Halloween October 29 8pm. Celebrate Halloween early with this scary improvisational fun, all based on your suggestions! Suitable for ages 14+. $10. Front Row Theater, Dougherty Station Community Center, 17011 Bollinger Canyon Rd, San Ramon. www.sanramon. ca.gov/parks/theater/ calendar.htm#102216 Bewitching Fun October 31 Time: 3:00pm-5:00pm Come enjoy this FREE event that includes trickor-treating at participating merchants, street entertainment, train rides and so much more! Alamo Plaza, Danville Blvd. and Stone Valley Road. www. alamoplazashoppingcenter. com/events.html

Preschool Performance Series - The Music of Octopretzel Nov 4 10am. Presented in 1 hour with no intermission. Making little ones laugh, dance, and sing-along since 2009, the Town of Danville is pleased to continue to present fun and unique top-level entertainers for preschoolaged children. $5. Village Theater, 233 Front Street, Danville. 925-314-3400 or www.villagetheatreshows.com

The Valley SenTinel

Bedtime Theater Carnival of Chaos November 4 6:30pm. Bring your little ones age 2-7 to a special concert planned just for them! Wear your pajamas and bring your favorite stuffed animal. Milk and cookies will be served following the performance. This program is appropriate for children of all ages and their families too! $7 per person. (Ages 2+ must purchase a ticket.) San Ramon Community Center at Central Park. 12501 Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon. www.sanramon.ca.gov/ parks/theater/calendar. htm#110416

The Pointer Sisters November 6 7pm. Grab your dancing shoes and get ready to “Jump (For My Love)” as we welcome Bay Area natives, The Pointer Sisters! The Pointer Sisters began their formal vocal training

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in their father’s church in West Oakland, California. They went on to achieve worldwide fame and have secured a place in pop music history as a dynamic Grammy Award winning group! $59. Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center, 10550 Albion Rd, San Ramon. www. sanramon.ca.gov/ parks/theater/calendar. htm#102216

The Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Presents

The Faire of 1000 Pumpkins

Lady K and the Kings of Swing - Let’s Fall In Love November 5 8pm. Share a romantic evening of jazz standards in an intimate smalltheatre setting. Featuring Grammy nominee jazz vocalist Carla Helmbrecht with the fantastic hardswinging big band Lady K & the Kings of Swing. $20 Adults, $12 Kids. Front Row Theater, Dougherty Station Community Center, 17011 Bollinger Canyon Rd, San Ramon. www.sanramon. ca.gov/parks/theater/ calendar.htm#102216

Ninth Annual Bg Craft Fest November 5-6 10am – 4pm. This curated festival is a celebration of handmade gifts, featuring an array of unique items from jewelry

OCTOBER 22 & 23 • 10 - 5 Along Historic Hartz Avenue Great Glass Pumpkin Patch • 150 Arts & Crafts Delicious Food • Youth Costume Parade 10am Saturday Great Music • Free Trick or Treats by local businesses Classic Car Show (Sunday only) along Prospect Way

www.danvillefallcraftsfestival.com

For more A & E, see our website at www.valleysentinel.com/pages/living_ arts_entertainment_events.

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The Valley Sentinel

October 2016

Fire Season is at its Height By Beverly Lane, East Bay Regional Park District Board Member

Summer is over now, but the fire season is not. October is the height of it, and by way of a reminder, this is the 25th anniversary of the devastating Oakland Hills fire. That conflagration began on Saturday, Oct. 19, 1991 with a small fire on private property in the Oakland hills. Oakland firefighters extinguished it, with help from East Bay Regional Park District crews and the state. However, smoldering embers reignited the next morning. Spread by strong easterly winds, the blaze soon became an inferno. At its height, 1,500 firefighters and 450 engines from all over Northern California were involved in fighting the fire. By the time it burned out it had destroyed 3,469 homes and apartment units and 2,000 automobiles. Tragically, 25 people were killed and at least 150 were injured. It was almost even worse. The flames trapped five Park District firefighters, nine or ten Oakland firefighters, two civilian volunteers and six local residents for several hours at an Oakland hills intersection. They barely escaped with their lives. The fire cost an estimated $3.9 billion in damages. It is considered the largest single fire in California history in terms of cost, homes lost, and people killed. There were five major investigations after the fire, which generated dozens of recommendations for firefighting improvements. These included the use of compatible firefighting equipment, standardization of radio communications, better incident command structure and homeowner involvement

in fire safety techniques. The fire led to the establishment in 1992 of the Hills Emergency Forum, which brings together all the agencies responsible for fire safety in the Oakland-Berkeley Hills. Several public events are planned in commemoration of the fire anniversary: There’s a Firestorm Memorial Walk at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, starting at Signpost 29 on the south side of Claremont Avenue, a mile and a half uphill from the intersection of Ashby and Claremont Avenues. It’s a strenuous three-hour hike with steep elevation changes. A remembrance ceremony for victims of the 1991 fire will be conducted at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20 at the Firestorm Memorial Garden on Tunnel Road at Hiller Highlands Drive in Oakland. Another Firestorm Memorial Walk will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Claremont Hotel upper parking lot. Meet at the foot of the short cut path in back of the parking lot closest to the Tunnel Road entrance. For more information on these three programs, visit claremontcanyon.org. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection provides these general guidelines for homeowners to create and maintain a defensible space around their homes. Defensible space means a less vegetated area where a fire’s advance is slowed and where firefighters can make a stand to fight advancing flames: • Remove and clear away all flammable vegetation within 30 feet of each building, except that single trees or shrubs may be retained if they are well spaced and pruned. • Remove dead and dying flammable materials within the reduced vegetation zone.

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• Fireproof your home to the extent possible through measures such as composition roofing instead of wood shingles. Remove needles and leaves from gutters and trim branches six feet from the ground. Cover your chimney with a metal screen. • Cooperate with any fire use restrictions announced during red flag/no burn days.

valleysentinel.com • Prepare an evacuation plan and an emergency kit, in case a wildfire burns toward your home. East Bay Regional Park District’s website, www. ebparks.org, has lots of fire prevention information for homeowners. Click on “Fire Safety & Prevention” on the right side of the home page. The site also has links to many other agencies with fire safety tips. The fire district has a full-time firefighting staff

Alamo News Update By Steve Mick

The Alamo Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) is chartered to provide a means of local representation and communication between the residents of Alamo and the County Board of Supervisors. Among the tasks the MAC is responsible for are parks and recreation, Alamo beautification, and land use planning. This last topic became the central discussion item in the MAC meeting on September 6. The MAC heard from the community on New Life Church’s proposal to update various aspects of its land use permit. The most important of these was to allow additions to the church and enhance the uses allowed under their land use permit. The church proposes adding 2500 square feet to the building and adding a 7500 square feet addition to the property. In addition, the church requested an expansion of its current land use permit to

allow more days of the week and more hours of use. Approximately 50 to 60 people attended the MAC meeting and about half of them presented their views on the church’s proposal. Many of the speakers were neighbors to the church. The majority of speakers were opposed to the proposal. There were several major concerns brought forth by the speakers. The proposal to modify the church’s hours days of the week and hours of use to a 24/7 format was of high concern and was the subject of a great deal of unease on the part of the speakers. Parking continues to be a contentious issue especially during services. The opposition speakers noted that the proposed expansion of physical plant and hour of availability would only exacerbate the already strained parking situation. It is noted that the church’s proposal includes the addition of 50-60 parking spaces. This was one of the longest duration MAC meetings and went on for

that is supported by many staff members in other job categories who are trained firefighters ready to respond during emergencies. And the district maintains a fuel break in the East Bay hills, which is an area of thinned vegetation between its parklands and adjacent residential neighborhoods. It’s like an extended defensible space. Everyone has to be prepared. Unfortunately, wildfire is an ever-present danger in California during the state’s lengthy dry season.

several hours. After hearing all the speakers, the MAC had a discussion on the proposal. Only 4 members of the 7 person MAC were in attendance. The discussion centered around the issues brought up by the speakers. The MAC voted 3 to 1 to deny the proposal. (It should be kept in mind that the MAC’s middle name is Advisory. This means that the MAC only has advisory authority to the County Board of Supervisors.) The next step in the process will be a meeting scheduled by the County Zoning Administrator (ZA) to hear the issues and decide on the proposal. After that, the proposal will likely be referred to the County Planning Commission. The ultimate approval authority will be with the full Board of Supervisors, so stay tuned… Steve Mick is a long-time Alamo resident and is active in a number of community organizations. Among them are the Community Foundation of Alamo, the Exchange Club and the Alamo Municipal Advisory Council. You can reach Steve at steve@alamore.org.

Danville Police to Host “Drug Takeback Day” Residents invited to turn in prescription drugs at October 22 event drugs, intra-venous solutions, abuse or theft of drugs,” said Danville residents looking to get rid of unwanted, unused or expired prescription drugs will have the opportunity to do so October 22, 2016 when the Danville Police Department joins with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to hold a drug disposal event at the Danville Town Offices, 510 La Gonda Way. At the event, officials will accept pills and other solids such as patches, and liquids in consumer containers. Illicit

needles and other sharps will not be accepted. For ease of disposal, participants are asked to place the medications in a sealed bag for drop-off. For the free and anonymous event, citizens can bring their prescription drugs to the Town Offices from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and drop off their medications for disposal. “This event encourages residents to get rid of unwanted pharmaceuticals, reducing the possibility of

Danville Police Chief Steve Simpkins. Individuals who cannot attend takeback day are still able to drop off pharmaceuticals, including sharps, in bins at the front desk of the Danville Police Department during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, contact Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Kan at (925) 314-3707 ormkan@ danville.ca.gov

valleysentinel.com

October 2016

Advertorial

It’s Time to Heal... By Dr. Niele Maimone, DC

In 2004, Align Healing Center began using laser therapy to help patients relieve their muscle, joint and nerve pain. Due to the near miraculous results that laser can provide to a sprain, strain or chronic pain, our patients began to ask “what else can laser help heal?” Wondering the same thing, we began to branch out and use laser on any and all injuries and wounds that our patients were presented with. We have literally watched the healing process occur right before our very eyes. Swelling reduces within minutes, severe bruises dissipate with no visible sign within a

day or two and surgical wounds become painless, with minimal scarring and redness. We have had patients that have had knee surgery and hip replacements, shoulder surgery, spinal surgery, breast augmentation and reconstruction, rhinoplasty, face-lifts and c-sections that heal in a fraction of the time typical without the use of laser therapy. If you are intending on having surgery or have a stubborn injury that has taken longer to heal than you would have expected it is worth your while to explore the benefits of Class IV K-Laser therapy. How Laser Therapy Speeds Tissue Healing Injuries and surgery cause tissue damage and inflammation which reduces the circulation to the injured tissue thereby

impeding the nutrition and energy available to the damaged area. Laser therapy is the application of low levels of laser light to areas of the body that have been injured or damaged. Therapeutic lasers do not cut or burn, but instead, supply energy to the body in the form of photons of light. Light is transmitted through the skin’s layers (the dermis, epidermis and the subcutaneous tissue under the skin). The wavelength of the Class IV Laser allows these photons to travel deep into the body; up to 8-9 inches. When laser light penetrates into the body, it stimulates damaged cells to start producing ATP. ATP is the “fuel” or energy source that all cells need to function and repair. When damaged cells have the energy they need to function properly they can immediately start the repair process. Laser

Advertorial

Inflammation and Degeneration By Dr. Robert Brown

Recently legitimate researchers have rediscovered that we become ill as a result of degeneration of one or more of our organs. If the germ theory of disease were true we would all get sick when exposed to a germ. What causes one to become ill, and not everyone who is exposed, is INFLAMMATION. Inflammation is the number one cause of diseases and death. The degeneration caused by inflammation can result in our body becoming susceptible to a germ or a cellular change to cancer. By far, the major cause of inflammation is our diet. Do we have a flu season or is it the season of obnoxious eating? Beginning with Halloween and ending at Valentine’s Day, sugar and processed food consumption goes out of control. Sugar just could be the most poisonous common food that we eat without actually putting poison in the food, referred to as processed food. Professor John Yudkin, of Queen Elizabeth College,

London, wrote a book entitled “Pure, White and Deadly” in 1972. He found sugar to be involved in many common diseases, many times fatal, including coronary thrombosis. Extremely unwelcomed by the sugar industry, junk scientists were employed to “prove” his findings false, destroy his reputation and attempt to stop the publication of his book. To this day, the propaganda keeps on reverberating. The sugar industry even manipulated research to “prove” fats were the cause of heart disease. Even some Harvard scientists were involved in these lies (paid $50,000) as reported in a 2016 news release by the University of California San Francisco. Saturated fat is quite harmful, but good fats are essential to good health. This finding is rather new to medicine, so “fat is bad” will continue to be the belief of many. My patients benefit greatly from my health history which included arthritis and heart disease. Many years ago I changed my diet to an almost Paleo and anti inflammatory diet. I say almost Paleo because we can no longer get total nutrition

from available foods and supplementation is necessary. On the internet you can find an index of anti inflammatory foods at http://inflammationfactor. com/look-up-if-ratings. There is no “one size fits all” diet. I found a resource that helped me formulate my personal diet, a book entitled “Diet Wise”, by Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby. All of my former health problems are history. Since I changed, I am never sick, no more allergies, no arthritis and a healthy heart. As I mentioned in my book, “WHY” “The Question That Could Save Your Life”, an absolutely essential part of good health; and also in dramatically slowing the aging process; is becoming proactive. Go to the internet and study supplements. Yes, there is junk there, but the more you study the more easily you can spot the junk. An occasional splurge will not kill you, so have a healthy, flu free, Holiday Season. Dr. Robert J. Brown of advanced Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Center can be reached at (925) 8378048. You can also visit his website at www.aodtc.com

The Valley Sentinel therapy accelerates the healing of injured areas, decreases inflammation, and eliminates pain allowing patients to quickly return to normal activities. How long does it take to work? 95% of our patients notice improvement after the very first treatment. However, some conditions may take a few treatments to respond. Each laser treatment is cumulative, meaning that each successive treatment builds on the previous. The doctors at Align personally work with you each visit to ensure that you are progressing as quickly as possible. What People Are Saying about K-Laser at Align Healing Center “I cannot thank you enough for the “miracle healing” of my knee! It was such a bad fall and yet after the first treatment I

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have never had any more pain and I have been able to be on my feet all day. Thank you so much for your great laser and your caring treatment”. J. Frank, Walnut Creek “I’m entirely pain free this morning...You’re a magician!! I’ll encourage my patients to consider laser therapy for their pain. Thanks again”. Dr. Navolanic, MD “6 months after my hip replacement I was still in debilitating pain when I walked any distance. After K-Laser therapy I am able to live a normal life, which for me includes hiking and biking without pain!” J. Franco, Danville For more information about how laser therapy may be helpful to you contact Align Healing Center to schedule a free consultation (925)362-8283. Visit us on the web at www. AlignHealingCenter.com.

Danville Shop Local Survey Danville residents and local consumers are encouraged to complete a “Shop Local Survey” to seek feedback on residents’ shopping and dining preferences. The survey can be found at www.danville. ca.gov/retailsurvey. Results from the Town of Danville’s survey will be used in an action plan and to provide

merchants and the business community on the needs of the local consumer. Survey participants will receive a reusable Danville designed shopping bag and be eligible to receive a $100 mobile Danville Gift Card. We encourage you to invite friends, family and neighbors who live or shop in Danville to participate.

Chris@via.pm.com

valleysentinel.com page 6 The Valley SenTinel

October2016 2016 October

The Valley SenTinel page 6 valleysentinel.com

In Loving Memory: Bruce and Nancy Marhenke By Denise Rousset, Sentinel Publisher

Alamo has lost some of its collective richness, warmth, and humor with the recent passing of two long time members of the community. Bruce and Nancy Markenke lived in Alamo for 50 years. Nancy was born May 20, 1934 and passed away on April 29 this year, just shy of her 82nd birthday.

Bruce was born September 16, 1930 and just passed away on August 25. He was 85. Here in the San Ramon Valley, Bruce first taught at Montair Elementary School, and was the first principal of Vista Grande Elementary School when it opened in 1960. He later became the principal at Los Cerros Middle School and was also a SRVUSD administrator. After retiring from Education, he started publishing Alamo Magazine, then Alamo Today. Nancy attended UC Berkeley where she majored in Art and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. She

Education for a Life of Intellectual Adventure and Meaningful Contribution Exciting and Engaging Curriculum Teaches Analytical Thinking

ADMISSION OPEN HOUSES FOR FALL 2017 ENROLLMENT at the Kate & Dyke Brown Hall

Classes Average 15 Students

Grades 6-8 November 12 1:00 pm

Diverse International Programs and Community Nearly 100% Admitted to Outstanding 4-Year Colleges Extraordinary 75-Acre Campus Transportation and Financial Aid Available

Grades 9-12 November 13 1:00 pm

To register for Open House, please visit the Admission page on our website. Click on the “Request Info & Register for Events” ribbon and complete the “Inquiry for The Athenian School.”

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was an accomplished painter in oils and watercolors, with flowers being her favorite subject. She taught painting to local students in her studio, and designed personal greeting cards and Christmas ornaments. An avid reader she was well informed and loved a good political discussion. Lively and warm, she had a hilarious, wicked sense of humor and was so much fun. Bruce and Nancy are survived by his sister, Ilse Kirste, son Bruce Marhenke (Teresa) son Mike Marhenke (Donna Maxwell), daughter Michele Hooker (Sam), son Steve Marhenke (Donna Piombo), grandchildren Brie Acosta (Rudy), Max Marhenke, Sam Hooker, Matthew Hooker and great granddaughter Revelry. * On a personal note: Bruce and Nancy were both vivid, bright, excellent people

who always demonstrated a keen interest in everyone around them. Members of the Alamo and Danville Chambers of Commerce and Merchants Associations will remember them as active and happy, joking and smiling and ready with hugs and encouragement. Bruce was always interested in how things were going with my sons, and with the

SCHOOLS from page 1

the results of the first CAASPP administration were released last year, we recognized that there was a significant discrepancy between how our students performed on English Language Arts as opposed to mathematics. We made a concerted effort to focus on math in 2015-2016 in terms of professional development for our administrators and our teachers, implementing interventions for our students and providing multiple opportunities for student success. We are grateful to the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation which provided the District a grant to kick-start this professional development mid-year. The CAASPP is aligned with the new SAT and ACT assessments. Performing well on CAASPP is an indicator of success on the SAT and ACT as demonstrated by this year’s results. SRVUSD students who take the ACT for college admissions score significantly higher than students across the state of California and across the nation. In fact, our ACT scores have steadily increased over the past five years. This trend of rising scores repeats for SRVUSD students in the SAT results. Our students also consistently perform well over the national average on the SAT. Similarly our students continue to excel on AP tests. The number of students who participate in the AP program increased almost 10 percent this past year. Furthermore, over 87 percent of our students continue to pass the AP exams. My

opportunity to become part of an incredible team. This fall, we celebrate the academic successes of our students — made possible by the dedication of our teachers, classified staff and our supportive parents. We certainly have reason to celebrate, thanks to our students’ extraordinary achievements on the most recent California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), ACT and SAT test results. San Ramon Valley Unified students showed increases in both English Language Arts and mathematics according to the CAASPP results. We are especially proud of the gains we achieved in math. When

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Valley Sentinel as we shared laughs and stories about the newspapers. While my memories and vision of the two of them are loving and happy, I’ll miss them both deeply. I can hear Nancy’s laugh any time, by just closing my eyes. A celebration of life is planned for Bruce and Nancy at noon on October 29, 2016 at the Alamo Women’s Club. Please RSVP to mikemarhenke@calstone.com.

Here seated with friends John Lineweaver (L) and Richard Delfosse (R), Bruce Marhenke enjoying The Alamo Tree Lighting in 2015. leadership philosophy begins with the core belief that every student can learn and must be given the opportunity to be “in charge” of their personal learning. Collectively, this belief is realized by improving systems and fundamentally shifting cultures, climates, expectations, strategies and policies when necessary. Our focus is on students’ continuous improvement, rather than performance. The overall physical, emotional and social well-being of our students is critical to ensuring that they live a balanced and healthy life. SRVUSD is invested in educating the whole child through a balanced approach to teaching and learning. Communication and relationships are essential and will be a major focus for me. This fall, I will visit with parents by holding a “Coffee with the Superintendent” at each school. At these coffees, I hope to hear parents’ questions, concerns, feedback and ideas. I am also active on Twitter where I share District news, articles of interest and celebrations of all the wonderful things taking place across our District. You can follow me @SRVUSD_Supt. As I begin my 37th year as a public school employee, I am grateful to be a part of a collaborative team dedicated to supporting each student’s personal growth, as well as grades and test scores. Thank you for all that you to for our students. Rick Schmitt, Superintendent

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October 2016

The Valley SenTinel

Advertorial

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Breast cancer is the number one prevalent cancer among women. Over the years diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer has evolved and major advances have been made. Diagnostic Imaging In imaging the analog mammogram, has been replaced by digital mammography. A digital mammogram machine uses compression and x-rays to image your breast, but instead of capturing the image on film as with traditional mammography, the image is captured to a computer as a digital image file. Digital mammograms are faster because there is no film to develop. The image can be sent immediately to the radiologist for viewing. If the image is unclear, you will be told about it right away, and the image can be retaken. This may help reduce mammogram callbacks, and stress on patients. The National Cancer Institute did a study comparing film and digital mammography, and concluded that digital mammography is more accurate than film at finding cancer in women less than 50 years old, and women who have dense (not fatty) breast tissue. Digital mammography also uses less radiation than traditional film mammography,

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By Julie Chao Elementary school science teaches us that in the sun, dark colors get hot while white stays cool. Now new research from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has found an exception: Scientists have determined that certain dark pigments can stay just as cool as white by using fluorescence, the re-emission of absorbed light. The researchers tested this concept by coloring cool roof coatings with ruby red (aluminum oxide doped with chromium). Led by Berkeley Lab scientist Paul Berdahl, they first found that white paint overlaid with a layer of ruby crystals stayed as cool as a commercial white coating. Next, they synthesized ruby pigment to mix into coatings. Their results were published recently in the journal Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells, in an article titled “Fluorescent cooling of objects exposed to sunlight—The ruby example.” Substantial research over the years from Berkeley Lab’s Heat Island Group has found that reflective roofs and walls can cool buildings and cars. This reduces the need for air conditioning and mitigates the urban heat island effect. By reflecting the sun’s rays back to space, these cool materials also release less heat into the atmosphere, thus cooling the planet and offsetting the warming effects of substantial amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. However, wider adoption of cool roofs has been hindered by aesthetic considerations. “We’ve heard many times (from roofing materials manufacturers), ‘We can’t sell white or pastel roofs; our customers want dark

green, dark brown, and so on,’” Berdahl said. Over the past 15 years, Heat Island Group researchers have used special pigments that strongly reflect invisible “near-infrared” light to make dark surfaces that stay cooler in the sun than conventional dark surfaces, though still not as cool as white surfaces. This new work shows that fluorescent

cool materials is a new concept, and Berdahl, who is a physicist by training, has a patent pending on the technology. “People understand that materials that fluoresce are emitting energy,” he said. “What’s new here is the use of the fluorescence process to keep buildings cooler.” When light hits a fluorescent material, the material actively emits energy in response, rather

cooling can boost the performance of these pigments by re-emitting at longer wavelengths some of the visible light that the surface must absorb to appear dark. This opens the door to darker colors of not only cool roofs but of any object that is subject to prolonged periods of sun exposure, including vehicles, ships, storage tanks, and PVC piping. “We do think cars will be a likely application,” Berdahl said. “And it’s not just a matter of comfort or saving energy by avoiding AC use. We learned from colleagues that with electric vehicles, the battery lifetime is degraded by higher temperatures, so if you can keep the automobile cooler with use of a suitable coating then it extends the life of the battery.” Using fluorescence, or photoluminescence, for

than passively reflecting the energy. Berdahl’s idea was to find a material that would absorb visible light and fluoresce (re-emit) mostly or entirely in the invisible near-infrared portion of the sun’s spectrum. “There have been thousands of fluorescent compounds identified,” he said. “Ruby’s properties are well known and well studied, and I realized it’s a material that could work.” His first experiment was to use an array of synthetic ruby crystals, which he purchased online and said were surprisingly inexpensive. Attached to a bright white coating and exposed to bright sunlight, the dark-red ruby-covered coating stayed cooler than an off-white surface. Berdahl and Berkeley Lab research associate Sharon Chen then synthesized ruby powder,

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Fall Home & Garden valleysentinel.com

October 2016

or aluminum oxide, doped with varying amounts of chromium to create different shades of red pigment. They prepared ruby paint from the powders, and applied these paints over bright white substrates. When exposed to sunlight, the ruby paint samples stayed as cool as white materials. “The ruby powder does need more work to make it as deep red as the ruby crystal,” Berdahl said. If the product were to be commercialized, Berdahl said that the cost is not expected to be substantial and its durability is expected to be similar to other coatings. “Rubies have a reputation for being expensive, but they’re mostly aluminum oxide, which sells for about 70 cents per kilogram (or about 30 cents per pound),” he said. PPG Industries, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvaniabased coating manufacturer also involved in the research, is conducting weathering tests with prototype fluorescent coatings.

In follow-up work Berdahl has identified blue materials that also fluoresce and showed that they can be combined with other colors to yield green and even black materials that stay cool. The research was supported by the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Additional funding was provided by the California Energy Commission. Co-authors of the paper were Sharon Chen, Hugo Destaillats, Thomas Kirchstetter, and Ronnen Levinson of Berkeley Lab, and Michael Zalich of PPG’s Coatings Innovation Center. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world’s most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab’s scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy’s

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The Valley SenTinel

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Sometime in late October, I’ll host the 12th Annual Friends of Elaine Kortzeborn Medicare Open Enrollment Party. Every year since 2005, I’ve helped a dozen or so of my mom’s buddies review their Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance and make sure it still works for them. At first, I ran into some resistance. Mom’s friends didn’t want to bother. They had coverage and didn’t see why they needed to keep checking their drug plans. After a couple of years, though, that attitude disappeared. We kept finding that, every year, their health needs changed and so did the list of drugs covered by their plans. Shopping among the numerous plans and choosing the right one could mean saving hundreds of dollars a year. Now, everyone’s on board to make sure they have coverage that’s right for them. All this is just my way of reminding you that Medicare’s annual open enrollment season begins Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7. This is the time every year when you can sign up for a new Medicare drug or health plan, or switch the one you have now. Any new coverage you select will take effect Jan. 1, 2017. In addition to Part D drug plans, open enrollment applies to Medicare Advantage health plans, which are essentially

managed care plans run by private insurers approved by Medicare. If you have Original (traditional) Medicare and you’re satisfied with it, you don’t need to do anything during open enrollment. If you have a Medicare Advantage health plan or Part D drug plan, keep in mind that these plans can make changes each year, including what they cover, how much they charge for monthly premiums and deductibles, and which doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies are in their networks. Always review the materials your health or drug plan sends you, like the “Evidence of Coverage” and “Annual Notice of Change.” Make sure your plan still meets what you anticipate will be your health needs for next year. If you’re satisfied with your current plan, and your insurer is still offering it in 2017, you don’t need to make any changes. Here are resources to help you compare your current coverage with new plan offerings for 2017. You can: • Visit www. medicare.gov to review drug and health plans, including costs, available in your area and enroll in a new plan if you decide to. This information will be live on or around Oct. 1 (and before that on www.cms. gov.) Medicare rates the plans on a scale of one to five stars. Open enrollment information also is available in Spanish. • Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800633-4227) for aroundthe-clock assistance to

find out more about your coverage options. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. Counseling is available in a variety of languages. • Review the Medicare & You handbook. This handbook is mailed to the homes of people with Medicare each fall and it’s also online at: https:// www.medicare.gov/pubs/ pdf/10050.pdf • Get free, unbiased, one-on-one counseling from your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Local SHIP contact information can be found: o At www.medicare. gov/contacts/organizationsearch-criteria.aspx or; o On the back of the Medicare & You handbook or; o By calling Medicare (at the 1-800 number above). People with Medicare who have limited income and resources may qualify for Extra Help to pay for their Part D drug plans. There’s no cost or obligation to apply for Extra Help, and it can save you thousands of dollars each year. Medicare beneficiaries, family members, or caregivers can apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov/ prescriptionhelp or call Social Security at 1-800-7721213 to find out more. TTY users should call 1-800-3250778. Cate Kortzeborn is Medicare’s acting regional administrator for Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Paciﬁc Territories. You can always get answers to your Medicare questions by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Volunteer with AARP Tax-Aide for 2017 tax season Do you like working with people? Are you good with numbers? Contra Costa County AARP Tax-Aide is looking for volunteers to become members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages. TaxAide volunteer positions include Tax Counselors

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valleysentinel.com

October 2016 Advertorial

Responsible Inheritance Planning By Robert Cucchiaro

For very successful families, creating a legacy is a challenging goal. This is especially true for blended families and for families with private business interests. The combination of family, money, taxes, and emotions can be too much for some to contemplate, let alone make good decisions around. Faced with this quagmire, all too often matriarchs and patriarchs chose to do nothing in the hopes that deferring any decisions will somehow make these issues disappear. This is where a wealth manager can help. Most of the times when I sit down with a successful family they already have some estate plan in place. But all too often that plan was written 20+ years ago and hasn’t been reviewed since then. There are several problems with having a 20+ year old plan, which include a. Tax laws have changed since then; b. your kids were much younger back then, and c. your net worth has probably grown since then. Last week I met with a family that runs a real estate business in the south bay and the 3 siblings who run the day-to-day operations were in attendance. Their buy-sell agreement is 21 years old and at their respective deaths, calls for the 2 surviving siblings to buy out the spouse of the deceased. Twenty-one years ago when their kids were “kids”, this is what they wanted and their attorney drafted their document in accordance with their wishes…21 years ago. Their attorney hasn’t looked at the document since then and neither have they. Today their wishes have changed considerably. Should any of them suddenly pass, they want their shares to be owned by their kids, not their siblings. The good news is their document can be amended to reflect their wishes because they are still alive. However, had one of them died, we would have a problem on our hands. The second big issue that comes up with inheritance planning has to do with ‘how much is too much for someone to inherit.’ Warren Buffet famously said “a very rich person should

leave his kids enough to do anything but not enough to do nothing.” For some of our clients, their kids have done very well in life by their own right and proven to be financially responsible. Adding another $5M+ to their net worth when mom & dad die won’t change a thing. But for others this couldn’t be further from the truth. Perhaps a grandparent set up a trust for their kids and when they reached a certain age, the income spigot turned on. Now that child is 30 years old and still can’t hold a steady job or pay their bills on time. They are constantly in mom & dad’s wallet and the last thing their parents want to do is leave behind even more money with no strings attached. Part of our job is to sit down with these folks and help them understand their options. Not all trusts are created equal and successful families need a customized estate plan that speaks to their exact situation and family members. Finally, passing wealth outright to even the most responsible heirs can have its pitfalls. Over time the inherited assets get comingled and when a divorce or a lawsuit occurs, those assets create a target for predators. A smarter move is to leave behind these assets in a protected manner and help ensure that the $ stays within the family for generations. If your financial advisor or estate planning attorney are not proactively addressing these issues, you should seek a second opinion. Our firm has been helping successful Bay Area families for over 30 years. To set up a confidential discussion, send me an email at rob@swrpteam.com or give us a call at 925-927-1900. Robert Cucchiaro is a Certified Financial Planner. He is a Partner and owner of Summit Wealth & Retirement, a financial planning firm that has been serving Danville for 30 years. Rob specializes in retirement, investment, tax, and estate planning. www. summitwealthandretirement. com

The Valley SenTinel

SQUIRRELS from page 1 In 1875, California Ground Squirrels were eating $250,000 worth of grain a year in Contra Costa County. The infestation was so bad that the state Legislature created the Squirrel Nuisance Abatement Act, which applied only to Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. Squirrel districts with squirrel masters or inspectors were formed to control the squirrels with strychnine, phosphorous, poison gases, traps, and guns. It worked extremely well in some areas, however, California Ground Squirrel populations continue to hold their own.

California Ground Squirrels are preyed upon by coyotes, badgers, hawks, eagles, and rattlesnakes. Research at the University of California at Davis since the 1970‘s has shown that the squirrels use a variety of survival techniques to avoid predation by rattlesnakes. Some populations are resistant to rattlesnake venom as adults. Female squirrels with pups will chew on the skins shed by rattlesnakes and then lick themselves and their pups to disguise their scent. Another defensive strategy is for the squirrels to “superheat” and swish around their tail to confuse the rattlesnake

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by conveying the message that “this prey” is too large to be hunted and eaten. California Ground Squirrels are more alert, vigilant, and ready for an attacking rattlesnake after one has been recently seen. James M. Hale is a wildlife biologist, ethnobiologist, and ecological consultant based in Contra Costa County. Please visit his website at www. dochale.com

Sentinels of Freedom Expands Scholarship Program to Serve More Student-Veterans. The Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship has been serving veterans since 2007, providing services to wounded veterans who elect to pursue their higher education. The national non-profit which is headquartered in San Ramon has served more than 200 veterans in nearly 40 states. The organization, with the goal to serve more veterans, has announced an expansion to its scholarship program. The Sentinels of Freedom has set itself apart from more well-known veteran service organizations by committing themselves to a multi-year partnership with studentveterans, highlighting their emphasis on long term results.

Each scholarship offered by the organization typically has a duration of four years and may include a housing subsidy, financial coaching and planning, career mentoring, and business networking. This multi-year commitment is no small financial burden for Sentinels of Freedom, which allots up to $50,000 in services for each scholarship recipient and requires applicants to be enrolled in a secondaryeducation program, have a VA disability rating of 50% or higher (and injured after 9/11), and have received an honorable discharge. Sentinels of Freedom is now offering what they called a Merit Grant to student-

veterans who do not meet the requirements for their full scholarship program. The grant consists of a onetime $1000 grant to be used for educational purposes for student-veterans who have a disability rating of 30% or higher and have a 3.0 GPA over the last two years of their secondary-education program. The expansion of the scholarship program is seen not as an additional program, but an expansion of their scholarship program aimed at serving more student veterans. For more information about the organization and its scholarship program, please visit www.sentinelsoffreedom. org

SENTINELS OF FREEDOM Scholarship Foundation

Housing • Education • Employment • Mentoring • Ongoing Support

Sentinels of Freedom provides the resources and support needed for severely wounded veterans to live active, engaged, and successful lives as they recover from the physical, emotional, and psychological impact of their injuries, learn to live with their disabilities, and work their way back to a life of complete self-sufficiency. To learn more about our organization please visit us at: www.sentinelsoffreedom.org www.facebook.com/sentinelsoffreedom (925) 380-6342 info@sentinelsoffreedom.org

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

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For additional Community Events visit: www.ValleySentinel.com Please email information about your events to info@valleysentinel.com COMMUNITY EVENTS Hope Hospice seeking volunteers Hope Hospice is currently looking for individuals who are interested in volunteering to assist hospice patients and their families. In keeping with Hope Hospice’s goal to make sure patients can live their lives to the fullest and with dignity, volunteers provide a variety of services that help enhance the quality of care of our patients’ lives. Volunteer opportunities include; Home Care; Cosmetology; Healing Touch; Reiki; Massage Therapy; Vocalists. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, contact Jill Biggs, RN, at 925-829-8770. Volunteers Needed: Read to Preschoolers Volunteers are needed at childcare centers in Concord, Pittsburg, and West County. The Contra Costa County Library will supply books and resources. For more information, please contact Maureen Kilmurray at 925-927-3288. Danville Farmer’s Market Every Saturday, Year-round 9am-1pm. Get the freshest seasonal fare at the Danville Certiﬁed Farmers’ Market. Railroad & Prospect Avenue, Danville. Information: www.ci.danville.ca.us. (You can make donations of fresh vegetables and fruit for our local food pantries at the Loaves & Fishes Booth at the Danville Farmers Market.) San Ramon Farmers Market Every Saturday & Thursday-Year-round, Buy fresh, seasonal produce directly from local farmers at San Ramon Farmers Market. Connect with your community while shopping at a festive gathering place with live music! www.SanRamonFarmersMarket.org. Bishop Ranch, San Ramon. Canine Companions for Independence Puppy Class Each Saturday 10-11am. Become a puppy raiser! The East Bay Miracles Chapter invites you to help train puppies to become assistant dogs for children and adults with disabilities. Make sure to check out their online calendar before heading off to volunteer. Athenian High School, 2100 Mt. Diablo Scenic Blvd., Danville. Information: 925-838-3213, cci.org/eastbaychapter Forest Home Farms Historic Park & Glass House Museum–open for Fun on the Farm Every Saturday 11am-2pm. Enjoy tours of the Glass House Museum, the farm and its history, interactive exhibits including the tractor museum, the beautiful grounds and free activities. Visit the Welcome Center and purchase old-fashioned toys and gifts at the Gift Shoppe. Tours are $5 per person, or $8 for both tours on the same day. 19953 San Ramon Valley Blvd, San Ramon. Information: 925-973-3284 or visit www.sanramon.ca.gov. Saturday without Reservations at the Tao House Every Saturday 10am, 12pm, and 2pm. Come explore this National Historic Site in Danville. Catch the shuttle at the bus stop in front of the Museum of the San Ramon Valley-205 Railroad Ave. www. EugeneOneill.org AAUW Initiatives Discussion Oct 13 7pm. The upcoming election is important not just for the presidential race but also for the large number of local initiatives on the California ballot. There are 17 initiatives on the Nov 8th ballot. To gain a better understanding of these initiatives, please join The American Association of University Women for a free presentation sponsored by their Danville-AlamoWalnut Creek and San Ramon branches’ in association with the League of Women Voters. Shadowhills Cabana Club, 1001 El Capitan Dr., Danville. RSVP: ashakiran@gmail.com or 925-735-9889 The Dark and Light of Prison October 18 6:30pm. Mark E. Roseman, author of Derailed: How Being a Lawyer Taught Me to Survive in Prison, offers a window into prison culture via his fascinating account of his incarceration— what he learned, how he survived, and how he feels about

California’s prison system. Free. Crow Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville. Call 925-735-5700 to reserve seats General Federation of Women’s Clubs meeting October 20 Socializing 11 a.m., lunch 11:30 a.m..Guest speaker will be Kathy Chiverston of the Discovery Counseling Center/Thrift Station. Kathy will discuss what is done with the funds they collect (for example drug rehabilitation programs in high schools). Danville Women’s Club, 242 Linda Mesa Avenue, Danville. Contact Karen at 925-831-9237 or e-maildanvillewc@gmail.com for more information. Downtown Danville Walking Tour Led by Mayor Karen Stepper October 21 6:15-7:15 pm. Take a walk in Downtown Danville with Mayor Karen Stepper. End with a glass of outstanding wine hosted by Auburn James Winery. Museum donation: $5. Meet at Village Theatre, 233 Front Street, Danville. Reservations by Thursday prior to tour: call 837-3750, 998-8865 or email srvmuseum@sbcglobal.net Community Forum about Mental Health Services Act Funding November 3 3-6pm. Contra Costa Behavioral Health, a division of Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), invites anyone interested in improving local mental health services to participate. Forum goals include identifying service gaps and setting priorities for the next 3-year MHSA budget. Pleasant Hill Community Center, 320 Civic Drive, Pleasant Hill. RSVP to attend at mhsa@hsd.cccounty.us or 925-957-5150.

SENIORS Danville Seniors Unless otherwise noted, the following activities are held at the Danville Senior Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 115 E. Prospect, Danville. For more information call 925-314-3490 or visit www.ci.danville.ca.us/Recreation/ Seniors. Sneaker Trips: The Town of Danville’s Senior Sneakers program is a great way for you to make new friends and get out and around the greater Bay Area. There’s always something new to see and learn. The Danville Area Senior Hikes (DASH) is open to all adults and meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month. The group starts at the Danville Park-nRide (next to the Sycamore Valley 680 North exit) at 9 am and returns about 1pm. Most hikes are not strenuous, but gradients are involved due to the local terrain. Distances are usually in the 4-5 mile range, and the pace is moderate, with stops to view scenery, wildlife and to talk about location history when appropriate. Information: 925-3143400 or visit www.ci.danville.ca.us/Recreation/Seniors/ Senior_Hiking. San Ramon Seniors The following events are held at the Alcosta Senior & Community Center, 9300 Alcosta Blvd., San Ramon, unless otherwise noted. For more information call 925973-3250 or visit www.sanramon.ca.gov/parks/programs/ ages55+.htm. Wisdom Wednesdays: 10:30am-12pm. Free workshops and informational sessions that will beneﬁt you. They will give you free access to coffee, knowledge and a better understanding of important issues. Information: 925-973-3250. Trips Trip Desk is open Tuesday from 10am-1pm. Sign up for trips at the travel desk or by depositing payment with registration form in the gold drop box found at the main entryway. Information: 973-3250.

Wednesday Morning Hikes (time and location varies) Join the San Ramon Trailblazers if you are interested in meeting new people, enjoying the outdoors, having fun and getting in shape. The group meets once a week at at the north end of Osage Park, off of Brookside Dr. This is an adults only group; pets are not permitted on hikes. To ﬁnd out the exact meeting location and to get on the email list, please call the Senior Center or email trailblazer88@comcast.net. Page Turners Senior Book Group Third Tuesday of the month 1:30pm. Drop in–all are welcome! Copies of this month’s book are on reserve for you at the Dougherty Station Library Front Desk. Book group meets at Alcosta Senior and Community Center, 9300 Alcosta Blvd. Information: Carol Yuke, Adult Services Librarian. 925-973-2850. Live Well Age Smart Fair October 14 9am-12pm. This event will feature valuable resources, health screenings, and lectures promoting a healthy lifestyle through nutrition, exercise and preventative care. The event will continue at the Senior Center with a vendor fair and health screenings. Light refreshments will be provided. Free Danville Senior Center, Veterans Memorial Building, 115 E. Prospect Avenue, Danville. Information www.danville.ca.gov/Seniors or 925-3143430 or seniors@danville.ca.gov

BUSINESS BNI Every Thursday Noon-1:30pm. We are actively looking for new members to refer business to in the trades. We need a plumber, electrician, handyman and cleaning service but are also looking for other professions like property manager, event planner and many others. Vic Stewart’s Restaurant at 850 S Broadway in Walnut Creek. 925-330-8275 or david@staff. webquarry.com BBR-Partners for Success 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 12-1pm. One of the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce’s successful Business by Referral groups, Partners for Success meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month to provide concrete business leads to one another. Chamber Conference Room, 117 E Town & Country Drive, Danville. www.danvilleareachamber.com BBR-Sunrise Alliance 2nd and 4th Wednesdays 7:30-8:30am. One of the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce’s successful Business by Referral groups, Sunrise Alliance meets the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month to provide concrete business leads to one another. Chamber Conference Room, 117 E Town & Country Drive. Danville. www.danvilleareachamber.com Danville Chamber Mixer October 13 5:30-7pm. Danville Area Chamber will be honoring our Legacy Members for their outstanding years of Membership! Everyone is welcome! Community Bank of the Bay,156 Diablo Road, Suite100, Danville. RSVP to Shelley Despotakis: ceo@danvilleareachamber.com

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. AAUW membership is open to all graduates of accredited four year colleges or universities and those holding an Associate Degree or equivalent. Prospective members are welcome and may contact Soni at 286-1737 for details. Visit daw-ca.aauw.net for meeting dates.

Please email your calendar events to the Sentinel at Info@valleysentinel.com by 5pm on the 15th of the month preceding publication month. Inclusion in the calendar pages is at the sole discretion of Sentinel Newspapers, Inc.

valleysentinel.com Cancer workshops and support groups-Ongoing Most are free. Cancer Support Community, 3276 McNutt Avenue, Walnut Creek. Information / reservations call (925) 933-0107 or visit www.cancersupportcommunity. net. Fibro? CFIDS? Chronic Pain? If these are familiar to you, call about the San Ramon Valley support group for people who need support, information, classes and friendship from people who know what it’s like. We like to laugh while getting well. Call 925-837-0510. Hope Hospice Grief Support Groups–Ongoing Hope Hospice provides support to help you understand and manage grief in a way that is healthy and appropriate. Our Grief Support Center is available to all community members at minimal or no cost. Information: visit www.HopeHospice. com or call 925-829-8770. Hospice of the East Bay Support groups and workshops for adults, children and teens experiencing grief after the death of a loved one. Classes will be offered at Hospice’s Administrative Offices: 3470 Buskirk Avenue; Pleasant Hill and the Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation: 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. Pre-registration is required for all groups and classes, except our drop-in group. To register, please call Hospice of the East Bay: (925) 887-5681. Information: www.hospiceeastbay.org Wind ‘n Sea Sailing Club Sailing training classes take place at members’ homes. Information: Call Jan at 925-837-3381. Forewomen Golf Association provides opportunities to play golf with other women who share the love of the game and also want to give back to our community through our charity program. FWGA is an associate club of the Northern California Golf Association (NCGA), not affiliated with any particular golf course. We offer five opportunities to play per week at East Bay courses. All levels welcome. For more information contact Cheryl Ramirez at communications@ forewomengolf.org. Overcome inappropriate compulsive sexual behavior Avenue nonprofit ministry helps men overcome inappropriate compulsive sexual behavior and helps women heal from the betrayal of their relationship. Confidential groups for men and for women. No charge / donations accepted. Call (877-326-7000). www.AvenueResource.com. RECURRING Mondays: The Walnut Creek Garden Club Meets the second Monday of each month. Meeting begins at 9:30am with community and socializing from 10:30-11:00am. You do not need to be a gardener to join the club. The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Road, Walnut Creek. Information: californiagardenclubs.com/content/walnut-creek-garden-club or mslittle44@gmail.com Danville Rotary 12pm. Meets every Monday. Black Bear Diner, 807 Camino

October 2016 Ramon, Danville. Information: danvillerotary.org. San Ramon Alzheimer Support Group 7-9pm. Meets the second Monday of each month, except on holidays. Sponsored by the Alzheimer Association. People who know or are caregivers of Alzheimer victims can get information on how to help them through this difﬁcult time in life. San Ramon Senior & Community Center, 9300 Alcosta Blvd., San Ramon. Information: 925-973-3250. Sons In Retirement (Las Trampas Branch) Monthly Luncheon 11am. Meets the third Monday of each month, except for May and December. Make new friends, participate in fun activities. Make $15 luncheon reservations by calling 925-322-1160 by the preceding Wednesday. Walnut Creek Elks Lodge, 1475 Creekside Dr, Walnut Creek. Information: visit www. Branch116.org. Tuesdays: Danville am Toastmasters 7-8:30am. Want to improve your speaking and presentation skills? Toastmasters can help! Meets every Tuesday in downtown Danville. www.4143.toastmastersclubs.org Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary 7am. Meets every Tuesday morning. Crow Canyon Country Club, Danville. Information: dsvrotary. com. Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) Meeting Every Tuesday 8-10am. This Weight Loss Support Group provides a space for those who wish to lose weight. St. Timothy’s, 1550 Diablo Rd. 925838-7870. San Ramon Valley Geneological Society 10am. Meets every third Tuesday ath the LDS Church, 2949 Stone Valley Road, Alamo. http://srvgensoc.org Diablo View Toastmasters 8:15-9:15am. Meets every Tuesday. CMG Mortgage, 4th Floor Conference Room, 3160 Crow Canyon Rd., San Ramon. Information: 4160.toastmastersclubs.org. Walnut Creek Kiwanis Club 12:10-1:30pm. Meets every Tuesday. Massimo’s Ristorante, 1604 Locust Street,  Walnut Creek. Information: kiwanisofwalnutcreek.org. Walnut Creek Rotary 12:15-1:30pm. Meets every Tuesday. Heather Farms Garden Center, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek. Information: rotarywc.org. ARF Pet Loss Support Group 5:30-7pm. Meets second Tuesday of every month. Register with Vicki at 925-887-5681 or vickis@hospiceeastbay.org. ARF, 2890 Mitchell Drive, Walnut Creek. Information: arf.net. Divorced and Separated Workshop A new workshop series for divorced and separated people is being held on Tuesday evenings from 7- 8:30pm at St. Joan of Arc Parish, 2601 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon. Contact: Sue at smc9@ sbcglobal.net. 925 -819-1809.

Prostate Cancer Group 7:30–9pm. Meets 2nd Tuesday of the month. Drop-in prostate cancer group for men and their loved ones. San Ramon Regional Medical Center, South Building, West Day Room. 6001 Norris Canyon Road, San Ramon. Information: 925.933.0107 or www.twc-bayarea.org/community-programs. html. Wednesdays: Walnut Creek Toastmasters 7-8:15pm. Meets every Wednesday. 1660 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill. Information: walnutcreek. freetoasthost.net Hospice of the East Bay Drop-in Bereavement Support 4:30-6pm, 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month. 3470 Buskirk Avenue; Pleasant Hill. Information: 925-887-5681 or visit www.hospiceeastbay.org. Alamo Rotary 12:15pm. Meets every Wednesday. Round Hill Country Club, 3169 Roundhill Road, Alamo. Info: alamorotary.org. Danville Toastmasters Club #1785 7:30-9pm. Meets every Wednesday. Room W204 at Diablo Valley College,1690 Watermill Road, San Ramon. Information: danvilletoastmasters1785.com. San Ramon Valley Rotary 7pm. Meets every Wednesday. Blackhawk Country Club, 599 Blackhawk Club Drive, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville. Info: sanramonvalleyrotary.com. Danville Lions Club 7pm. Meets the ﬁrst Wednesday at the Alamo Grill, 3160 Danville Blvd, Alamo, CA 94507. Visitors Welcome. Information: Truman Howard 925-787-2565 truman. howard@gmail.com Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley 12pm. Meets the second Wednesday of every month. Sign-in and social time begins at 11:30. Guests are welcome with lunch reservations. Faz Restaurant, 600 Hartz Ave., Danville. RSVP 925-2752412. Info: www.srvexchangeclub. org Walnut Creek Host Lion’s Club 12:15pm. Meets the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Wednesdays of each month. Black Bear Diner, 700 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek. Information: walnutcreeklions.org. Blue Star Moms 7-9pm. Meets the second Wednesday of every month to participate in service activities supporting sons/ daughters serving in the military. Danville Veterans Memorial Building, 400 Hartz Ave. Information: bluestarmoms.org. Sons in Retirement (San Ramon Valley chapter) Monthly Luncheon 10:30am; Social Hour, 11:35am meeting and lunch. Meets the 3rd Wed. of each month. For a nominal charge, attendees get lunch, a guest speaker and the opportunity to socialize with at least 150 other retirees from the San Ramon Valley. Reservations, please email us at www.info@sir128.com by Friday prior to the luncheon. Bridges Golf Club, 9000 S. Gale Ridge Rd., San Ramon.

The Valley SenTinel Diablo Valley Quilters 7-9pm. Meets the third Wednesday of every month. No charge for guests. Danville Congregational Church, 989 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Danville. Information: diablovalleyquilters.com. Veterans of Foreign Wars 7pm. Meets the third Wednesday of every month. Veterans Memorial Hall, 400 Hartz Avenue, Danville. Information: Post Commander Ernie Petagara at 925-362-9806 or vfwpost75.org. Diablo Singles Dance Club 7-10pm. Meets the last Wednesday of every month. Live music, refreshments. Members $8, Guests $12. All welcome. 111N. Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek. Thursdays: San Ramon Valley Newcomers 11:30am-2pm. Meets the third Thursday of every month with a featured guest speaker at a local Tri-Valley restaurant. New and long-time adult residents are welcome. Reservations/information: susansgotbling@sbcglobal.net or www.srvnc.com. Rotary Club of San Ramon 11:45am. Meets every Thursday. Crow Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville. Information: sanramonrotary.org. San Ramon Valley Kiwanis Club Thursday at Noon. Black Bear Diner, 807 Camino Ramon, Danville. www.kiwanis-srv.org Clutterers Anonymous 7-8pm. Meets the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Room 3, 2   491 San Miguel Drive, W   alnut Creek. Information: 925-736-8627. Diablo Valley Lions Club 7:30pm. Meets the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Thursday of every month. 1400 Montego Drive, Walnut Creek. Information: diablovalleyca.lionwap. org. Fridays: Transitions-“Navigating Life’s Turning Points Together” 9-11:30am. Our group now has a new name, which has been changed from TENS to Transitions. Our mission is to encourage and support women from empty nest, to aging parents and everything in between. Community Presbyterian Church, Room 116, 222 W. El Pintado

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Rd., Danville. Information: Contact Donna Hill at hillmom3@ comcast.net Saturdays: Diablo Region of the Porsche Club of America 7:30-9am. Meets every Saturday. Buttercup Bar and Grill, 660 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek. Information: diablo-pca.org. Parkinson’s Disease Support Group 9am-12pm. Meets every 3rd Saturday. Join us to share, laugh, and learn from each other. Grace Presbyterian Church, 2100 Tice Valley Blvd., Walnut Creek. Contact Gregg Riehl at (925) 254-8349 or jgriehl@ gmail.com. Free. All are welcome. Information: Howard Zalkin at 939-4210 or Ronnie Wanetick at 933-6357. Sundays: Cars n Coffee: First Sunday of Every Month 8-10am. On the first Sunday of every month, automotive enthusiasts gather in the parking lots of the Blackhawk Museum to share their vehicles and admire the other fabulous classic cars, hot rods, sports cars, exotics and anything else with wheels and a motor that promotes the car enthusiast hobby. Cars & Coffee is a year round event, rain or shine. The Museum opens at 9am on Cars & Coffee Sundays and there is a Docent-led tour at 2pm. Participating car owners receive two complimentary tickets to the Museum courtesy of our sponsors. Blackhawk Museum, 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville. www. blackhawkmuseum.org

Classifieds HELP WANTED Quality Assurance Analyst: MS in C.S., C.E., or rltd. & 3 yrs. rltd. exp. Bank of the West. Job in San Ramon, CA 94583. CV to careers@bankofthewest.com. Sr. Oracle DB Admin: Bach. in C.S., C.E., or rltd. & 6 yr. rltd. exp. CV to: Bank of the West, 2527 Camino Ramon, San Ramon, CA 94583. ATTN: H.R. or email careers@bankofthewest.com. EEO. Position in San Ramon, CA. School Child Nutrition Asst: Visit SRVUSD.net/nowhiring or call 925-552-5021.

Community News & Information Danville • Blackhawk Alamo • Diablo • San Ramon Publisher/Editor-Denise Rousset Advertising-Betty Overhoff Chief Financial Ofﬁcer-Jeff Gummere Graphic Designer-Laurie Prindle Auto-David & Judy Colman

925-820-6047

390 Diablo Road, Suite 145 Danville, CA 94526

www.valleysentinel.com

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The valley Sentinel

AUTO March October2009 2016

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4st 2wd By David and Judy Colman

Good genes and an even disposition mean just as much in the car world as they do in the human realm. In the genes department, Mitsubishi long ago mastered the art of building large displacement, vibration-free, 4 cylinder motors. Back in 1983, Mitsubishi marketed a 2.4 liter straight four that utilized a counter-rotating balance shaft to cancel vibration. So successful was the design that Porsche paid Mitsubishi royalties to borrow the layout for its 944 series engines. Today, Mitsubishi still depends on this basic architecture to offer a 2.4 liter in-line 4 making excellent power (168hp) and torque (167lb.-ft.) with no harshness at any rpm range. In the happy disposition department, the Outlander Sport is a crossover utility vehicle (CUV) so eager to serve you that it even bids you farewell at drive’s end. When you turn it off, the LCD multi-information display flashes the chummy

message “See Ya.” For $25,995 (base price), the Sport is surprisingly full of such unexpected bonuses. All models come standard with 18 inch, two-tone aluminum alloy wheels. Ours were shod with Nexen Npriz RH7 tires (225/55R18) that provided competent dry weather traction without imposing a harsh ride. One of the first niceties you notice when climbing aboard are the ribbed aluminum pedals for brake and accelerator. These look sharp and respond well to even the slipperiest soles. Another standard convenience provided is a knockout Rockford-Fosgate sound system putting out 710 watts through 9 speakers. A subwoofer the size of a ten gallon Stetson mounts on the right wall of the hatchback, and commands a base note that will have your ears throbbing in very short order. Again, unexpected stuff from a vehicle in the price range. Perhaps the most engaging freebie on the standard

inclusion list is the enormous panoramic glass roof which stretches all the way from the windshield header to the back edge of the roof. This nifty contraption which comes with mood lighting to boot, makes you feel like you’re driving a convertible, even though the top doesn’t actually lift off or open. For 2016, Mitsubishi freshened the mini-CUV’s exterior surfaces with a frontal look they term the “Dynamic Shield.” A pair of stout looking frontal chrome rails define the edges of the grill and trail artfully into batwing light clusters. A redesigned suspension system for 2016 features new “dynamic” dampers front and rear plus new electronic power steering. These revisions endow the Sport with a raked stance which makes it look ready to spring on prey. There’s a freshness to the styling that is absent in many of the Outlander’s competitors. And it looks especially good in Octane Blue.

Mitsubishi has come to terms with the CVT drivetrain better than most other manufacturers. Part of the secret sauce here is provision of two enormous shift paddles located just behind the steering wheel. These easily accessed controls actually put you in charge of altering the engine’s rpm range. This latitude to choose power output almost makes the Outlander Sport feel like it has a real gearbox rather than a series of infinitely variable drive belts. Coupled to the big displacement 4’s solid power, the Sport motors through freeway merges with unexpected ease. However, the elevated suspension ride height contributes to a tipsy feeling when pushing this CUV hard through tight turns. Thanks to 7 airbags, the Sport earns an overall 4 star Safety Rating from the government, with 5 stars for front and rear seat side crash protection. The model range starts out at $19,995 for the most basic ES trim level, then progresses through SE and SEL levels to the top GT version we drove.

valleysentinel.com

Given its many amenities, solid engineering and eagerto-please disposition, the Outlander Sport merits your close attention as an affordable do-it-all family mover. 2016 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER SPORT 2.4GT 2WD ENGINE: 2.4 Liter MIVEC DOHC 16 Valve inline 4 HORSEPOWER: 168hp TORQUE: 167lb.-ft. FUEL CONSUMPTION: 23 MPG City/28 MPG Highway PRICE AS TESTED: $26,845 HYPES: Loaded with Standard Features GRIPES: Front Center Armrest Feels Cheap Star Rating: 9 Stars out of 10

valleysentinel.com

October 2016

Contra Costa’s New Trafﬁc Congestion Relief Plan By Candace Andersen. Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors

Contra Costa County has seen a remarkable recovery as we have come out of the Great Recession these past five years. Our unemployment rate has reached a historic low. We are creating jobs and businesses are thriving. But with this improvement in economic development, traffic and demand for transit are increasing. If you commute or travel on Interstate 680, you know that in the morning the southbound lanes may be a virtual parking lot, with traffic just as heavy in the evening traveling northbound. The situation is similar on State Route 24, State Route 4 in East County, and Interstate 80 in West County. BART cars are full, and running at capacity. Our Cities and the County work very hard to improve and maintain our roads and infrastructure.

Nevertheless, it is estimated that Bay Area drivers spend as much as $1000 more on car repairs each year because of the poor condition of our roads. Much of the funding for the maintenance and improvement of our roads historically came from the State through the gas tax we all pay the pump. Unfortunately, as gas prices have gone down and fuel-efficient vehicle use has gone up, our gas tax revenues have plummeted. We are a “Self Help County,” which means we raise revenue locally to improve our transportation system. The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is a public agency formed by Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and to do countywide transportation planning. City Council members and County Supervisors are the authority board members. The CCTA is responsible for maintain-

ing and improving the county’s transportation system by planning, funding, and delivering critical transportation infrastructure projects and programs that connect our communities, foster a strong economy, increase sustainability, and safely and efficiently get people where they need to go. CCTA has a proven record of success. Through voter approved Measures C and J, CCTA has shown that our local dollars can be leveraged to get additional federal and state funding for our local projects, such as the 4th bore of the Caldecott Tunnel, BART extensions, and carpool and auxiliary lanes. These have come in on time and under budget. Over the past two years CCTA has worked regionally throughout the county to bring together partners concerned about transportation: concerned citizens and taxpayers, the business and building community, transit operators, advocates for transportation for seniors

The Valley SenTinel and the disabled, environmental groups, bicyclists, and labor -- working together to draft a Transportation Plan identifying the solutions needed to keep traffic moving. The New 30-year Transportation Expenditure Plan will: • Repair potholes and fix roads • Improve BART Capacity and reliability • Improve highways 4, 24, 80 and 680 • Enhance bus and other transit for everyone– including seniors and those with disabilities • Enhance safety for bicyclists and pedestrians • Improve air quality • Reduce trafﬁ c on our roads • Utilize existing and new innovative transportation technology Voters in Contra Costa will have the opportunity

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to decide whether or not they want to fund these transportation solutions. Measure X, a half-cent sales tax increase that will raise $2.9 billion over 30 years specifically for these transportation improvements will be on the November ballot. To view the new 30-year Transportation Expenditure Plan, or for more information about CCTA, visit www. keepcontracostamoving.net. My ofﬁce is here to serve the residents of Contra Costa County District 2, which includes San Ramon, Danville, Alamo, Walnut Creek, Saranap, Parkmead, Lafayette, Moraga, Canyon and Orinda. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAndersen@bos. cccounty.us or 925-957-8860.

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valleysentinel.com page 16 The Valley SenTinel

October2016 2016 October

The Valley SenTinel page 16 valleysentinel.com

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